Chocolate Cream Cake

Before I continue with my crazy, but wonderful Valentine's {Week}. I'd like to pause and share the recipe for the Chocolate Cream Cake

As you can see, for my Valentine's day cake I made it in a heart shape, but for any other weekend I would just bake this off in my 8" round spring-form pan. I've never made it as a sheet cake though. I'm sure it would turn out just as great, but you would need to make more chocolate ganache than you would for the heart or the round cake!

Well let's get started.

First here are your INGREDIENTS to gather:

1 box of Duncan Heinz chocolate cake mix

2 extra egg yolks than the box calls for (so if it calls for three eggs, gather 3 eggs + 2 egg yolks)

1 instand vanilla pudding mix

1 pint of heavy cream

1 bag of semisweet chocolate chips

There are 3 components to this cake: (1) the cake, (2) the pastry cream, and (3) the ganache.

Prepare your CAKE mix according to package instructions. Add the 2 egg yolks until well combined. Pour into greased and floured pan and bake by the Wilton baking method (starting at 275 degrees, raising the temperature by 25 degrees every 15 minutes, pausing at 350 to check for progress).

After you've baked and cooled your cake flip it out onto a plate.

Now, it's time to prepare your PASTRY CREAM. This is definitely a shortcut pastry cream because you'll be using instant pudding, but hey it tastes AWESOME- and that's what really matters. To prepare this:

Whip one cup of heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Set aside. Prepare instant vanilla pudding according to PUDDING PIE instructions. This typically means using 1 3/4 cups milk (remember 2% or higher), but follow what is written on the pudding pie instructions. Once the 5 minutes allotted for the pudding to set have elapsed, gently fold the whip cream into the pudding.

The best technique to do this is by "lightening". You take a nice dollop of whip cream and whisk it into the pudding. You have now "lightened" the consistency of the pudding making it easier to fold the whip cream in.

Once you've combine your pastry cream - set aside.

Time to make CHOCOLATE GANACHE!

Set up your double broiler, or if you're like me and don't have one, place a pot with water filled just halfway on the stove and put a heat safe bowl on top of the pot. You just want to be sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water.

Pour 1 bag chocolate chips into the bowl. Turn the stove to medium heat. Constantly stir the chocolate chips until completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in 1 cup heavy cream. The consistency should be like honey, it should run when you pour it, but but thick enough to set. If it's too thick add a little more cream, if its too thin add a little more chocolate chips.

ASSEMBLY:
Torte your cake. Torte doesn't translate into "cut your cake into layers", but by cake vocabulary, that's exactly what it means. You can do this with a cake torter, cheese wire, or using a serrated knife. I opt for the serrated knife because quite frankly it's all I own.

Just place one hand atop the cake to help guide your knife through the center of the cake in very even strokes. Generously spread the pastry cream on top of the bottom layer. Just be sure to leave room near the edges so that the cream doesn't seep out when you stack the other layer back on.

After you've flipped the top layer back on, slowly pour the chocolate ganache on top of the cake. If you need to give a little hand, use a spatula to help move it around, but for the most part the consistency should be just right that it will run over your cake on its own. Don't worry if some of the sides are exposed, I think it looks prettier that way anyways.

 

And voila! Let the ganache set up before serving, and always keep this cake stored in the refrigerator. 

Good luck!
Comment with any questions!